I'm not sure that sea-clutter would have been a problem, for two
reasons. Firstly, the sea was calm, and I believe that the improved
device could be tilted in a vertical direction as a method of
estimating range.

Yes agreed but how often does that happen or is likely to have
happened?. Also the size of the Iceberg concerned?. This one seemingly
was a large one but there is a variable there in that what size of
Iceberg is required to do sufficient damage to the ship -v- size and
likelihood of detection?.

It is very interesting to see in that paper the effects of digital
signal post processing albeit this is for a much longer radar system...


The device could have been used in these circumstances to look
forwards (as that would be the direction of greatest probability of
collision), and tilted upwards so that any sea-clutter just didn't
sound a warning.

In this particular instance yes, it might well have given them a bit
extra time but then again they couldn't organise themselves to have a
simple pair of Binoculars around and as also stated Captain Smith should
have given the command to reduce speed but I suppose he had Ismay
breathing down his neck about "make this a record"... ISTR some Midland
railway driver being urged to go for broke sometime in the 30's or
thereabouts to get a record by a director of same company in the cab!...


Interesting all the same I'll have a look at that paper later when SWMBO
has calmed down about what I should be doing on a Bank Holiday
weekend;!...

You too, eh...

;!(..

Question.. do they use radar specifically for iceberg detection
nowadays?..

The paper mentioned speaks of using two different frequencies in order
to reduce ambiguities, and post-processing to dig out return signals
from under the noise. It's quite an interesting paper!

Indeed!..


Evidence suggests that the lookouts saw the iceberg at about 500m, and
at the speed it was travelling Titanic could come to a stop in 850m.

Indeed so many small things could have made this outcome rather
different. Do you know if they had a phone from the crows nest or had to
shout down to the bridge or even worse climb down?. I read that they
didn't have binoculars with seems bloody stupid squared..

Yes, bins seem to have been an item that was not properly provisioned.
And due to the Fourth Officer being bumped and mistakenly taking the
key to the bins locker, only one or two pairs were available, none of
which were given to the look-outs.

Always the little things that add together to make the big cock-up event
eh;!?..


They did have a phone, though, and used it.

I'm mildly surprised that Titanic didn't have a Heulsmeyer device -
the radio was up-to-date and little money seems to have been spared
elsewhere.

Prolly there wasn't a perceived need. After all Mr Marconi's device was
there to add novelty it seems in order to give those who could afford it
the chance to show off like today with executive toys and the like etc..

Course this is down a bit to Marconi. Oliver Heaviside was involved in
Marconi's work and whilst he was in it for science and knowledge Marconi
slapped patents on it and made the money being very commercially minded,
other wise Heaviside would have been more credited but that's all
another story!...

Terry Fields

--
Tony Sayer